Desire for Family
by devonm0
Summary: Vitani has always been a tough young lady. Something's missing from her life, however, and she wants to find out what it is. VitaniXOC. Complete.
1. Confusion

Chapter 1: Confusion

It was a quiet night in the Pride Lands. Everyone was sleeping peacefully, well, all except one. Vitani was having a rough night, something had been troubling her since the migration to the Pride Lands. She was squirming in her sleep, something was definitely going on in her subconscious. However, while most might think she was dreaming about trouble, she was actually dreaming about something very different. She was having a dream about something she secretly longed for, though even she couldn't figure out why she longed for it. In the morning, when she woke up, she found something that surprised her.

"It must've just started." She said quietly. Kovu was already awake, and saw Vitani wake up, as well as heard her say that.

"What must've just started?" He asked, walking over. He saw the very thing that surprised Vitani, which was a small puddle. The thing about it was that it looked like blood. He understood then.

"Vitani, I never knew!" He said.

"I never knew either." Vitani said quietly. Kovu just stood there at that.

"What do you mean?" Kovu asked.

"I mean it took me by surprise!" Vitani practically yelled to his face. She then stormed out of the den, leaving Kovu to wonder what was going on. Vitani ran to the water hole to calm down. She didn't want everyone to wake up to her anger.

"What's going on with me? I've had dreams similar to that one since I got here, but never quite like that, and now this as well." Vitani said, hoping no one heard her.

"Now what as well?" Asked a voice she knew very well. Sure enough, soon after the voice came, Rafiki popped out of the grass. "What were you talking about Vitani?" He asked.

"I guess I should take it from the top." Vitani said.

"Nope, I'll just have a look." Rafiki said, leaving Vitani very confused. Something that left Rafiki confused was Vitani's next action. She plopped her rear onto the ground to get into a sitting position, yet she was unusually hasty with it. "What's with the haste Vitani?" Rafiki asked.

"Please just get on with it." Vitani said.

"As you wish." Rafiki said. He got into a meditative position, and before beginning, told Vitani what she would need to do to allow Rafiki to find the problem. "Before I can begin, we have to establish a mental link." He said.

"How do we do that?" Vitani asked.

"Just clear your mind, and I will use telepathy to transmit a chant through a telepathic link. That chant will open a mental pathway, and will also allow us to communicate at any time, no matter the circumstances." Rafiki explained.

"Ok, I think I understand." Vitani said. She closed her eyes to concentrate, and when Rafiki sensed that she had cleared her mind, he began. He transmitted the required chant, and also made sure it reached her mind. Once it did, Rafiki's view of Vitani's mind and thoughts became much clearer. He searched her thoughts for quite a while, trying to find whatever it was that was causing her problems. He finally found it, and understood immediately. He got a view of a dream that he figured Vitani had had in the past, where she was a mother, and that gave him enough information. He took his leave from Vitani's mind, and Vitani asked him what he found.

"Well, now I think I understand your problem, thanks to one of your past dreams." Rafiki said.

"Which one?" Vitani asked.

"The dream you had about being a mother." Rafiki said.

"I never dreamed about being a mother! I've never even thought about it." Vitani said.

"So your subconscious is keeping things from you?" Rafiki asked. That just left Vitani stunned.

"It must be something that is still forming as a thought." Rafiki said.

"I guess so." Vitani said. Then she gasped.

"That might explain last nights dream!" She said.

"I'm listening." Rafiki said. Vitani then realized she hadn't wanted to say that.

"I don't want to talk about it." Vitani said.

"Ah, but your subconscious is telling me all about it." Rafiki said, keeping a serious face as he listened. When he stopped concentrating, Vitani was really embarrased.

"Oh Vitani, why do you act like it's such a big deal? You wish to be a mother, and you saw yourself in the first step. It's nothing to be ashamed of." Rafiki said.

Vitani sighed, then thanked him and walked off, feeling a bit better about her situation, and understanding it a lot more.


	2. Jabari

Chapter 2: Jabari

For those who wonder, Jabari is my OC for this story, and his name is Swahili for courageous. I don't know why I picked that name honestly.

Vitani once again lay in the den, but something just kept her awake. She was thinking about what all had happened in the hour that she had been awake. She was still tired, and only woke up in the first place when she realized she was in heat. Now she tried to get back to sleep, but couldn't.

'Surely I'm just thinking to hard about all of this.' Vitani thought to herself. Soon, however, she smelled something. The only thing familiar about it was that it was a lion. She ran outside and saw a strangely colored lion. Regardless, she thought he was handsome. He had light brown fur, creamy belly, cerulean eyes, and a crimson mane and tail tip. Also, his mane curled out in front into a tuft of fur that kinda dangled in his face. He saw her and spoke.

"Good morning! I have come from the mountains as a messenger! Are you in charge around here?" He asked. Vitani stayed serious, though she found it very hard. She spoke back to him.

"Sorry, my brother and sister-in-law, King Kovu and Queen Kiara, have yet to wake. You'll have to wait at least another hour to speak to them." She said. The lion heard that and squinted his eyes, trying to get a better view of Vitani, who said,

"You might have more luck if you come a bit closer." The lion laughed, and walked up to her, stopping about 2 feet in front of her. He looked at her for a little while longer, then asked in shock,

"Vitani? Is that you?" Vitani then asked,

"How do you know me?" The lion then introduced himself as Jabari. Vitani still didn't recognize him. Jabari felt stupid then,

"Oh, how could I have forgotten. When I met you as a cub, you were a newborn. I always wondered what you would look like full grown. So, living a good life?" He asked. Vitani nodded. Jabari then said,

"Well, I'd best wait until your parents wake up." Then he walked down into the savanna. Vitani followed, and asked,

"Why did you wonder how I would look like as an adult?" Jabari then replied,

"Well, you were cute as a newborn, and I wondered if that was only because you were a newborn. I had hoped not, and now I see that I was correct." Vitani was shocked. She didn't know how to reply. 'Is he complementing me for the sake of complements, or is he going somewhere with this?' She thought to herself. Jabari then said,

"Yeah, I'm going somewhere with this." Vitani was shocked again.

"Did I say that outloud?" She asked. Jabari shook his head to mean no, and Vitani was confused.

"I can read thoughts as they pass through someone's mind." Jabari said. Vitani understood, but was more amazed than ever. She soon got her wits about her and asked,

"So where are you going with this?" Jabari then said,

"I think you already know." Vitani shook her head to mean no. Jabari frowned because Vitani didn't understand, but he decided to explain, even though he wa disappointed that she couldn't figure it out.

"Vitani, aside from being a messenger, I have searched for you for years. I had almost given up hope of ever finding you." Jabari said. Vitani was speechless, but finally found words.

"Y-you were looking...for me?" She said nervously. Jabari then said,

"Well, do you know any other Vitanis?" Vitani shook her head no, then Jabari said, "You and only you." Vitani backed up. She didn't fully trust him. It was too much of a coincedence. Vitani then asked,

"Did you truly just get here?" Jabari nodded and gave a warm smile that showed sincerity. He then asked,

"Why do you ask?" Vitani responded by saying,

"I just thought it was too much of a coincedence." Jabari couldn't help but wonder why. He soon found out. Vitani said,

"Oh great, not again. I guess part of it was stubborn." Jabari wondered what she was talking about. He soon saw though, that Vitani was in heat.

"Oh, now I get it." He said then chuckled at the thought Vitani had had about him. "You thought I was stalking you waiting for this, didn't you?" Vitani hesitated, but finally nodded. Jabari then asked,

"Why would I do that?" Vitani then said,

"To impregnate me." Jabari laughed.

"I'm not a nomad. I have a home. I wouldn't search for a single lioness if I were simply looking to impregnate them. I'm not that desperate to be a father, come on!" Vitani let out a sigh of relief, realizing that this male had come all this way searching for her, to actually be a mate, and a father with her as the mother. She heard yawning, and ran up to the den to see Kovu yawning to wake up again. Kiara and her parents were waking up as well. Kovu said,

"Good morning again Vitani." Vitani apologized for her outburst earlier, which Simba questioned afterward. Vitani explained what had happened. Then brought up Jabari.

"There's a lion outside named Jabari. He and I were childhood friends, even before Kovu came along, and now he's come from his home in the mountains and searched everywhere in Kenya for me. He wants me." Kovu didn't understand, but Kiara was able to explain it.

"This 'Jabari' fellow apparently wants to be Vitani's mate." Kovu understood then, and said,

"Go for it." Vitani was confused.

"I thought you were going to demand to meet him before allowing such things." She said. Kovu shook his head to mean no, then said,

"Unless you want me to." Vitani said she didn't care, and ran out of the den to talk to Jabari again.


	3. The Curse

Chapter 3: The Curse

Vitani found Jabari at the water hole, but he wasn't drinking, he just stared at his reflection. He used one of his paws to part the fur on his neck, and there, was a glowing symbol.

'Father, why did you do this to me? Did you really idolize mother so much as to try to kill me?' Jabari thought to himself. He quickly put his paw down when he heard someone trotting to him. It was Vitani.

"Hey Jabari." Vitani said before lapping at the water. Drinking did something for her that some people might find, unusual. Consumption of water seemed to be able to calm her.

"Why are you just staring at your reflection? Do you expect a greeting from it?" She asked with a smirk. She felt strange smirking, but she knew that mood swings were a sign of being in heat.

"Vitani." Jabari said. Vitani just looked at him to allow him to say he wanted to say.

"I just want you to know, you're beautiful." Jabari finished.

"Save it for later, Romeo." Vitani said. "I barely know you, so don't go getting all romantic on me just yet."

"Can't blame a guy for trying, can you?" Jabari asked with a smirk. Vitani just shook her head, as if to say 'Good thing we're not in public, or I'd have to kill you.'

"Well, I'm going back, you can follow or stay." Vitani said.

"I think I'd rather stay away from those mood swings." Jabari said in a voice which sounded to Vitani like he was mocking her. She whipped around at him and lunged at him, pinning him and pressing her claws gently against Jabari's neck, as if to make a point. She smiled and took her paw away from Jabari's neck, then said,

"You know, it's a good thing you're handsome." Vitani said with a sly smile on her face. She got off of Jabari, who was left bewildered, and started off back to Pride Rock, but turned her head back to Jabari and growled, but it was a playful growl, something someone would do to try to make romance. She then continued back to Pride Rock, and Jabari followed close behind, remembering that he had a message for Kovu and Kiara. Back at Pride Rock, Jabari was welcomed into the den.

"Now then, I have a message for the majesties, King Kovu and Queen Kiara." Jabari said. Simba and Nala parted to make a path for Kovu and Kiara to get to Jabari.

"I came to warn you, and left my pride against their will to do so. I'm sure you know Mt. Kilamanjaro." Jabari began. Kiara nodded, and Jabari continued.

"My pride lives in a cave that was dug into that mountain, but that's beside the point. My pride, they had respect for Zira. They knew what she was doing, but they respected her all the same." Jabari said. The lionesses began chatting, and Kovu roared,

"Silence!" The lionesses murmuring stopped, and Jabari was allowed to continued.

"They're planning an attack on these lands, and my father can kill me whenever he wants. I took a great risk in coming here." Jabari explained.

"Your father can kill you whenever he wants? How?" Kovu asked. Jabari parted the fur on his neck to reveal the symbol.

"This." He said. Kovu gasped in disbelief. He had seen that somewhere before.

"Someone have Rafiki take a look at this!" Kovu yelled to the lionesses. They parted the group as if making a path, and Rafiki walked inside.

"Mufasa told me a foul wind was blowing." Rafiki said. "Let me have a look." Jabari showed him the symbol, and Rafiki took a step back suddenly.

"Who did this?" He asked. Jabari told him that it was,

"Azaan." Rafiki heard the name, and knew, now more than ever, it was that curse.

"So, Azaan has become the shaman of your pride, correct?" Rafiki asked.

"Yes, and he did that at my father's demand." Jabari said. The pride understood, and Kovu decided to plan a counterattack toward Jabari's pride.

"I'm sorry, Jabari, but I must study this symbol more thoroughly to concoct a potion that can counteract it." Rafiki said. Jabari nodded, and Rafiki turned to Vitani.

"I'll need him at my tree for a while to study the curse. I'm sorry to have to do this, but you may not have a relationship at all if I don't." He said. Vitani nodded, but Rafiki could tell that she was crying on the inside. Jabari could see that Vitani was worried about him and said reassuringly,

"I'll be ok, don't worry about me." However, soon after that, he felt a large amount of pain, which caused him to cry out in agony. Vitani gasped, and couldn't hold back her tears any longer.

"What's happening?" She asked. Jabari's paws could no longer support him through the pain, and he fell on his chest. He turned his head toward Vitani, and after a while, managed a smile through the pain. Vitani was sure that her worst fear since learning about the curse had been realized, because the curse mark was glowing ominously. She ran off, unable to see her love in pain.


	4. Deceit

Chapter 4: Deceit

Jabari's pain calmed down, and he remembered why he got the mark in the first place.

Enter Flashback

"Dad, I know it's part of the plan, but do you really have to put my life in danger just to avenge Zira? I want the pridelanders dead just as much as you do, but does it really really require such extremes?" Jabari asked.

"We have to make your 'warning' more believable, and the best way to do that is to make it look like you took a risk to leave the pride. Don't worry, it won't kill you unless I tell it to, which I would never do. I might apply some pain with it to make the situation look more desperate though, so be ready for that incase it happens." His father told him.

"Alright." Jabari said. He was nervous, but he held Zira in just as high regard as the rest of his pride.

Exit Flashback

'Just wait Pridelanders. Zira will be avenged!' Jabari thought to himself. Rafiki walked in to check on him.

"How are you feeling?" Rafiki asked.

"Much better." Jabari said. He got up and jumped out of the Tree of Life.

"I have to go see if the pride is ready, because the opposing pride will be arriving soon. I want to attack them before they attack us." He said. He walked to Pride Rock and noticed that the lionesses were being assembled. Vitani noticed him from among the assembly, and was overjoyed.

"Jabari!" Vitani yelled. Jabari nodded in response, and Vitani broke out of her position in the assembly to meet up with him.

"You're ok?" Vitani asked, almost thinking it was a halucination. Jabari could tell that Vitani thought he was a halucination, so he decided to show her otherwise. He nuzzled her, and she gasped with excitement. They kissed, but Jabari was not sincere.

"Now then, I think you should get back into the assembly. We can talk romance after this ordeal." Jabari said. Vitani nodded, and as Jabari turned around, he grinned a wicked grin away from the pride to avoid suspicion.

"Hey Jabari, since you came from this pride that we're going after, you can show us where they. We want to get the jump on them." Kovu called over to him.

'Perfect.' Jabari thought.

"Ok, I'll be right there!" He said. He ran over to them and got in front of the pride.

"I hope you're all ready, for whatever happens." Jabari said. The lions and lionesses all nodded. They were nervous, but ready.

"Before we go, I should mention that Azaan will not just stand on the sidelines. He will be assisting the enemy with his magic, and don't take him for a pushover. He isn't one to leave a job unfinished." Jabari explained. That made the pride slightly more nervous, but the nodded. When Kovu gave the signal, Jabari led the pride to his home, where the enemy was preparing. It didn't take long, and when they got to Mt. Kilamanjaro, Jabari pointed out the cave. As they approached it, they heard wicked chuckling coming from all around them. The pride looked around them, and there were eyes, whose bodies were hidden by shadows cast by trees and rocks, and the mountain. The owners of the eyes revealed themselves as the enemy pride, who were surrounding Kovu's pride. All members of both prides started growling at each other, but then a deep roar stopped it. The one who roared revealed himself.

"Father." Jabari said. His father smiled wickedly, and said,

"Thank you, Jabari. Just like we planned." Jabari looked around, then gave the same smile his father gave.

"My pleasure father. It was just too easy." He said. All of Kovu's pride gasped in disbelief, then growled at Jabari. His father then commanded his pride to attack. The two prides began to fight eachother.

"Show no mercy! Remember what you're fighting for!" Jabari's father called to his lionesses. Vitani was fighting well, but lionesses seemed to just keep coming.

"You did well, my son. Your mother would be proud." Jabari's father told him.

"Thank you father." Jabari said. Simba and Nala had come running toward the fighting, and when he saw the king, he couldn't believe his eyes.

"It can't be!" Simba said in disbelief. The king was hidden by shadow, but he was sure it was _him_, somehow. The king chuckled, and said,

"Yes Simba." The king said before revealing himself. "It's me."

It was Scar.


	5. The Truth

Chapter 5: The Truth

"Scar!" Simba roared out at the lion who looked down at him from the ledge. Scar was alive, but about half of his face had been burned off in the fire that everyone thought had killed him. He hadn't aged at all, which was surprising, but that didn't concern Simba.

"How did you survive?" Simba asked. Scar laughed and said,

"I didn't." Simba thought that Scar was toying with his mind.

"Don't play games with me!" Simba yelled.

"I couldn't be more serious if I tried." Scar said. "You want proof? Take a whiff." He said as he got closer. Simba then smelled something wafting off of Scar's body. It was revolting, it smelled like decaying flesh!

"You're decaying?" Simba asked.

"Yes, sad isn't it. Why if not for Azaan here, I would have been lost for sure." Scar said. Simba faced off against Scar, and dealt quite a few blows. Every wound he inflicted, however, was healed almost instantly.

"What's going on?" Simba asked.

"I'm a zombie, die is the one thing zombies don't do." Scar said. He then attacked Simba, who dodged just in time to deal a blow to the neck.

"I told you, zombies don't die!" Scar said before throwing Simba off of his neck. Vitani was still fighting off lionesses, and when they were all dead, she was panting from exhaustion. She walked over to Jabari and started to talk to him.

"Jabari, why did you lie to me?" She asked.

"Oh come on! I used you to gain the trust of the other filthy Pridelanders!" Jabari said.

"No, I know you didn't. You loved me before Zira ever died. That's why you came looking for me! That's what I believe. You came looking for me because your heart guided you to me." Vitani said. Jabari was motionless for a while but then growled and knocked Vitani away. She just got up and began to talk again, this time, she was on the verge of crying.

"I won't fight you. You can't do anything to provoke me otherwise." Vitani said weakly. Jabari's gaze, which was brimming with corruption, then began to be purified. He suddenly looked around.

"What am I doing back here?" He asked. He checked the curse mark, which had turned black. It began to evaporate into a black vapor.

"What's going on?" He asked. Azaan had a worried look on his face, and turned to Scar.

"Sire, the mind control spell has been nullified!" He yelled toward Scar. Scar just look at Azaan with a look that said 'Shut up you idiot!' Jabari just looked at Scar, and couldn't believe what he was hearing.

"Mind Control! You told me that it was a curse through which you could kill me at any time!" Jabari yelled at him.

"What's next? Are you not my father!" He asked. Scar then spilled,

"I guess there's no point in lying to you anymore." Scar said. "Since you don't trust me anymore."

"I never did trust you. Now, what all has been a lie?" Jabari asked.

"Everything you ever grew to know. The truth goes so far back to say that you were taken by your mother, who was killed by me." Scar said with a firm expression on his face. That news devestated all of the Pridelanders, but none felt more pain than Jabari, since he had to live a lie. He couldn't hold back tears, and Vitani felt sympathy for him. She then turned to Scar with an angry look on her face.

"You! You murderer! Now I see how my mother fell for you! You're both lying assholes! I can't believe I, or any of the former outsiders ever, EVER idolized you! You're not even worthy to rule a colony of bacteria!" Vitani yelled at the top of her lungs. Jabari then turned to her.

"Vitani, we need to kill Azaan. His magic revived Scar, so killing him will kill Scar." Jabari said. Vitani nodded, and they charged Azaan side by side.


	6. Victory and Love

Chapter 6: Victory and Love

Vitani and Jabari charged Azaan, but when they tried to attack him, they passed right through him.

"What happened?" Vitani asked. Azaan was laughing like a maniac.

"You can't kill me!" He said. Jabari couldn't believe what he was hearing.

Come on, Vitani, we can't give up. There must be something we can do to stop this!" Jabari said. Vitani nodded, but then they heard Azaan chanting a spell of some sort.

"Who should I kill first?" Azaan asked himself. He decided that it didn't matter, and aimed at Vitani first. She seemed paralyzed by fear. Suddenly, the magic was nullified.

"What happened?" Azaan asked. He looked around, and up on a cliff, was Rafiki with magic swirling around his staff.

"Rafiki!" Vitani called out.

"You will not get so far as to singe the fur of these lions!" Rafiki said. Azaan smiled.

"You want to bet on that, little brother?" He said. That made many lionesses gasp.

"I don't consider you my brother, you murderer!" Rafiki yelled.

"It's the hard truth, live with it." Azaan said. Rafiki charged magic into his staff, and unleashed a blast of magic which he was sure would kill Azaan. It would have, but Azaan countered it with an even stronger blast. Azaan's blast nullified Rafiki's magic, and continued soaring toward him. Rafiki jumped over it, and Azaan was smirking evilly.

"You call me a murderer? I'll be a murderer!" He said. He turned to Kovu and Kiara. "You see, murderer's have no reason to kill those they kill. I attacked Vitani because she attacked me." He said. He started chanting a spell, and the chant was all too familiar to Rafiki. As the result of the chant soared through the air, Rafiki cried out,

"NOOO!" Kovu went left, and Kiara went right. The blast, however, separated into two blasts, one of which followed Kovu, the other followed Kiara. Kovu then got an idea.

"Kiara. Get Scar between you and the magic. I'll do the same with Azaan." He said, but not loud enough for anyone to hear him other than Kiara. Kiara nodded, and they both ran at a speed so that they were going at the same speed as the magic following them. Kovu jumped over Azaan, which left him confused. He looked forward however, and screamed as the magic did it's work, but on the caster. Azaan evaporated, as he was a phantom.

"Yeah!" Kovu yelled. Scar was still there, but that was what Kovu was hoping for. Kiara jumped over Scar, who cried out in agony as the dark magic keeping him alive was nullified by the magic. All of Scar's lionesses lost their flesh and will to keep going, and collapsed as skeletons.

"Scar had an undead pride?" Vitani asked. She looked at Jabari, who was unconscious. He woke up slowly, and said,

"There's one exception, me." Vitani was overjoyed. She ran up to Jabari, and nuzzled him affectionately. With everyone staring, she stopped, apparently embarrassed, but that didn't last long. Jabari kissed Vitani, a kiss that she joined into. Everyone who was left standing was either satisfied or happy, and they all made the trek home with smiles on their faces. Vitani and Jabari walked side by side, tails intertwined, and when the pride got home, Kovu and Kiara made an announcement.

"As King and Queen of the Pride Lands, we have decided to give the new couple, Vitani and Jabari, a position as a sort of secondary King and Queen, in case something should happen that prevents our rule, either permenantly or temporarily. They will take over if we can't." They said. Vitani and Jabari both gasped with excitement, and the pride cheered for them. By this time, a month had passed since Jabari's arrival, and that meant that Vitani was in heat again. She didn't have to have her period to know, she just knew that it happened once a month. Not only that, but she had found love, so she could get what she desired since moving to the Pride Lands. Children, and a responsible mate to help her raise them. In midday, Vitani was in the den, in deep thought. Jabari walked in and asked if she was alright.

"Oh, just the one I wanted to see." Vitani said. That left Jabari puzzled for a while, but he understood soon enough.

"Oh, I see." He said. Vitani grabbed him, and said,

"Get over here!" However, even though it was said through gritted teeth, she was anything other than angry. Jabari gave a nervous chuckle, while Vitani gave a seductive smile. Jabari was sure, now more than ever, through the way she smiled.

"You're sure? There's no turning back if you decide to do this." Vitani just nodded. Simba was walking into the den, but he saw Vitani and Jabari and froze. They didn't see him, however, and he smiled.

"Good luck as parents you guys." He said quietly. Then he exited the den, and told the pride not to go inside the den until Vitani and Jabari came out, for privacy reasons.


End file.
